35 
ELECTION OF OFFICERS. 
The Club proceeded to elect officers for the ensuing year. Prof. Cook, the’ 
retiring President, congratulated the members upon the harmony which had 
existed throughout the sessions, and was glad to find that, although some old and 
pessimistic members of the Club had predicted that it had run its course and 
would soon flicker out like a spent candle, he was glad to find that the present 
meetings had not only been the best attended for many years, but that the 
discussions and papers had been equally interesting to those of any meeting 
which he had had the pleasure of taking part in. He wished the Club every 
success and trusted that it would grow stronger and stronger every year. .The 
following officers were elected :— 
President, Prof. Herbert Osborn, Ames, Iuwa. 
Vice-President, Miss Mary E. Murtfeldt, St. Louis, Mo. 
Secretary, Dr. C. M. Weed, Columbus, Ohio. 
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES OF INSECTS. 
| 
Prof. Osborn, at the invitation of the President, introduced the subject of 
the use of contagious diseases in combating injurious insects. He said that he 
had already published a paper in the Transactions of the Eastern Iowa Horti- 
cultural Society for 1886, pp. 400-405, upon the subject; but that it was of such 
importance that he desired to hear it discussed by the members of the Club. 
He first mentioned the well-known fungus and bacterial diseases which attack 
insects, as Muscadine, Grassen or Jaundice, Pebrine, Flacherie or Flaccidity, 
Foul-brood of Bees, Fly and Grasshopper Fungus, and the White-grub Fungus, 
and called attention to the fact that we were already able to control those which 
affect important domestic species, as Silkworms and Bees, and that to some 
extent at least we are able to control those available as agents in destroying 
injurious species. After considering the various conditions limiting the Appli- 
cability of this means, he drew the tollowing conclusions :— 
(1) That there are diseases amply sufficient as a basis for economic work, 
the bacterial forms giving the most promise for all cases where early results are 
desired, while those due to fungi, so far as present knowledge goes, propagating 
slowly, can only be used as slow but efficient checks to injurious forms, the 
most that we can do with them being to introduce them in localities where 
they are not already found. 
(2) That the diseases can be controlled to the extent of preserving the 
germs for a season and transporting them from place to place to use for inocula- 
tion, but that their spread in nature will be affected by conditions beyond 
control, while only such insects as occur gregariously, or live in mingled hosts, 
can be attacked to advantage. 
(3) That the cost of application would prevent its adoption except in certain 
forms. 
(4) That we must oonsider this method of contending with insects at best 
as but one of a number of profitable methods to be used in certain cases where 
other methods are insuflicient, and to supplement other methods when it ean 
be done to advantage. With this end in view, the diseases of insects are worthy 
‘of the most careful study, and will not, he thought, disappoint the investigator 
in their final results. 
